Machine for use in setting up cellular cartons



Feb. 8, 1944. J. E. ANNEN ETAL 2,341,071

MACHINE FOR USE IN SETTING UP CELLULAR CARTONS Filed Nov. 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. dmes .2? Armel? y Alf/ea Con/M0 HTTO 5Y6.

Patented Feb. 8, 1944 MACHINE FOR USE IN SETTING UP CELLULAR CARTONS James E. Annen and Alfred Conklin, Kalamazoo, I Mich, assignors to Sutherland Paper Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application November 9, 1942, Serial No. 465,001

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for use in setting up cellular cartons.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a machine for use in setting up cellular cartons, such as egg cartons, which is portable and at the same time efiicient and convenient to use.

Second, to provide a structure of this character which enables the setting up of cartons without likelihood of fracturing or weakening the carton.

Third, to provide a structure having these advantages which is very economical to produce and may be used efiiciently by an unskilled person.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a machine embodying the invention with the erector member in its fully retracted position.

Fig. 2 is a. somewhat enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section with a carton positioned within the holder.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 33 of Fig. 4 with a carton in position and the erector member fully actuated.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partially in longitudinal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a modified form or embodiment of the invention, the ejector member being shown in partially actuated position by full lines and in fully actuated position by dotted lines and also in retracted position by dotted lines.

Fig. 6 is a. fragmentary perspective view of the carton as taken from the machine.

The embodiment of our invention illustrated comprises a tray-like holder I adapted to receive a cellular carton designated generally by the numeral 2 in partially erected positionthat is, with the walls thereof erected, the side walls of the holder being upwardly inclined to support the upwardly inclined side walls of the carton.

The bottom of the carton illustrated comprises oppositely inclined bottom members 3. The bottom 4 of the holder is crowned to supportingly fit these bottom members 3. The bottom of the holder has transverse upwardly facing grooves 5 therein aligned with the slots 6 in the bottom of the carton so that the transverse partition members or elements 1 may extend into the grooves 5 when the partition members are snapped into the slots 6 in the bottom of the carton, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When the partially erected carton is placed within the holder, the transverse partition members 1 lie in an approximately horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2.

At the ends of the holder which constitutes a supporting base therefor are upwardly projecting uprights 8 having vertical slots 9 therein provided with laterals H) at the upper ends thereof.

The erector member II is provided with a hand-hold or grip I2 and with longitudinally projecting non-circular guide members I3 at the ends which engage the slots for movement longitudinally of the slots, the guide members being also capable of longitudinal movement in the slots. The erector member II is provided with transversely spaced longitudinal rows of downwardly projecting forwardly inclined partition engaging fingers I4, there being a finger for each transverse partition element 1.

The carton, with the walls erected as shown in Fig. 3, is placed in the holder with the end transverse partition supporting members Il-in supporting engagement with the blocks l5 which constitute supporting ledges-see Figs. 1, 2 and 5. When the erector member is actuated, considerable stress results from the swinging of the partition members to erected position and these ledges help to sustain the thrust.

In operation, the erector member is initially in the position shown in Fig. 1. The operator places the partially erected carton in the holder, grasps the hand-hold I2, pulls the erector member forwardly in the laterals III of the slots and then moves the erector member downwardly. As it is moved downwardly, its right-hand end, as viewed in Fig. 2, is brought into contact with the downwardly inclined actuating cam I6 which imparts a longitudinal movement to the erector member, causing its fingers to swing the partition members to erected position and somewhat beyond the normal erected position, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby insuring that the lower ends of the partition members are snapped into the slots in the bottom of the carton. On the return stroke of the erector member, its left-hand end comes into engagement with the upwardly inclined cam I! so that the fingers are withdrawn without injury to the carton.

It will be understood that the slots constitute ways and that these might be in the form of grooves as distinguished from open slots. However, the groove-type of ways may be very conveniently formed.

It will also be noted that the uprights are so formed, in the embodiment illustrated, that the cam portions are integral therewith which is a desirable feature from the economy standpoint.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the return cam I8 is formed as a separate member and the actuating cam is is not designed to fully actuate the erector member, and the final longitudinal movement of the erector, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, is manually imparted. The bottoms of the slots 9 constitute slides 2i slidably supporting the erector for this manually imparted final longitudinal movement.

The guide members i3 of the erector members are non-circular so that no effort is requlred on the part of the operator to keep the erector in upright position.

Structures embodying our invention are highly desirable for use in stores or other places where large volume production is not required or where portability and space are important factors.

We have illustrated and described our invention in embodiments which we have found highly practical and such, we believe, as will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt our invention as may be desired.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a structure of the class described, the combination of an upwardly facing tray-like holder adapted to receive a partially erected carton in upright position and comprising side walls and a crowned bottom provided with upwardly facing transverse longitudinally spaced grooves adapted to receive the lower ends of transverse partitions disposed through openings provided therefor in the bottom of the carton, uprights at the ends of said holder having slots therein provided with lateral branches at the upper ends thereof, an erector member provided with noncircular guide members at its ends projecting into said slots and provided with transversely spaced longitudinal rows of downwardly projectin forwardly inclined fingers adapted to engage the transverse partitions of a carton, a

- downwardly inclined actuating cam disposed on the inner side of one of said uprights to be engaged by said erector member on the down stroke thereof for imparting longitudinal movement thereto, and an opposed upwardly inclined return cam on the inner side of the other upright acting to move the erector member longitudinally on its return stroke as the fingers thereof are withdrawn from an erected carton.

2. In a structure of the class described, the combination of an upwardly facing tray-like holder adapted to receive a partially erected carton in upright position and comprising side walls and a crowned bottom provided with upwardly facing transverse longitudinally spaced grooves adapted to receive the lower ends of transverse partitions disposed through openings provided therefor in the bottom of the carton, uprights at the ends of said holder having slots therein provided with lateral branches at the upper ends thereof, an erector member provided with noncircular guide members at its ends projecting into said slots and provided with fingers adapted to engage the transverse partitions of a carton, a downwardly inclined actuating cam disposed on the inner side of one of said uprights to be engaged by said erector, member on the down stroke thereof for imparting longitudinal movement thereto, and an opposed upwardly inclined return cam on the inner side of the other upright acting to move the erector member longitudinally on its return stroke as the fingers thereof are withdrawn from an erected carton.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a holder adapted to support a partially erected carton in upright position, of uprights disposed at the ends of the holder and having vertical slots therein centrally aligned with the holder, said slots having laterals at the upper ends thereof, an ejector member provided with a handhold and having non-circular guide members at its ends projecting into said slots for longitudinal and transverse movement therein, said ejector member being provided with transversely spaced longitudinal rows of downwardly projecting forwardly inclined fingers adapted to engage the transverse partitions of a carton, a downwardly inclined actuating cam disposed on the inner side of one of the uprights to be engaged by the ejector member on the downward stroke thereof for imparting longitudinal movement thereto, and an opposed upwardly inclined return cam on the inner side of the other upright acting to move the ejector member longitudinally on its return stroke as the fingers thereof are withdrawn from an erected carton.

4. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a holder adapted to support a partially erected carton in upright position, of uprights disposed at the ends of the holder and having vertical slots therein centrally aligned with the holder, said slots having laterals at the upper ends thereof, an ejector member provided with a handhold and having non-circular guide members at its ends projecting into said slots for longitudinal and transverse movement therein, said ejector member being provided with downwardly projecting fingers adapted to engage the transverse partitions of a carton, a downwardly inclined actuating cam disposed on the inner side of one of the uprights to be engaged by the ejector member on the downward stroke thereof for imparting longitudinal movement thereto, and an opposed upwardly inclined return cam on the inner side of the other upright acting to move the ejector member longitudinally on its return stroke as the fingers thereof are withdrawn from an erected carton.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a holder adapted to support a partially erected carton, guide ways at the ends of said holder, an erector member provided with guide members at its ends engaged in said ways and provided with transversely spaced longitudinal rows of projecting forwardly inclined partition engaging members, a downwardly inclined fixed actuating cam positioned to be engaged by said erector member on the work stroke thereof for actuating the same longitudinally, and an opposed oppositely inclined fixed return cam positioned to be engaged by the erector member on its return stroke for actuating the same longitudinally on the withdrawal of the fingers from the erected cartons.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a holder adapted to support a partially erected carton, guide ways at the ends of said holder, an erector member provided with guide members at its ends engaged in said ways and provided with partition en aging members, a downwardly inclined fixed actuating cam positloned to be engaged by said erector member on the work stroke thereof for actuating the same longitudinally, and an opposed oppositely inclined fixed return cam positioned to be engaged by the erector member on its return stroke for actuating the same longitudinally on the withdrawal of the fingers from the erected cartons.

7. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a holder adapted to support a artially erected carton, an ejector member provided with transversely spaced longitudinal rows of projecting forwardly inclined partition engaging fingers, way members at the ends of said ejector member for guiding the same in its work stroke, a fixed actuating cam positioned to be engaged by the ejector member as it approaches the end of its work stroke for actuating it longitudinally, and an opp sed upwardly inclined cam for actuating said ejector member longitudinally at the beginning of the return stroke thereof.

8. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a holder adapted to support a partially erected carton, an ejector member provided with partition engaging fingers, way mernbers at the ends of said ejector member for guiding the same in its work stroke a fixed actuating cam positioned to be engaged by the ejector member as it approaches the end of its work stroke for actuating it longitudinally, and an opposed upwardly inclined cam for actuating said' ejector member longitudinally at the beginning of the return stroke thereof.

9. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a holder adapted to support a partially erected cellular carton, said holder having at one end thereof ledges adapted to support portions of the carton to which the end transverse partitions are hingedly connected, an erector member provided with partition engaging fingers, way members with which end portions of the erector member are engaged in its work stroke, an actuating cam positioned to be engaged by the erector member as it approaches the end of its work stroke, stops for limiting the down-stroke of the erector member constituting slides on which the ejector member may be manually longitudinally shifted, and a cam acting to shift said erector member longitudinally on the return stroke thereof.

10. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a holder adapted to support a partially erected cellular carton, said holder having at one end thereof ledges adapted to support portions of the carton to which the end transverse partitions are hingedly connected, an erector member provided with partition engaging fingers. Way members with which end portions of the erector member are engaged in its work member are stroke, an actuating cam positioned to be engaged by the erector member as it approaches the end of its work stroke, and a cam acting to shift said erector member longitudinally on the return stroke thereof.

11. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a holder adapted to support a partially erected circular carton, said holder having at one, end thereof ledges adapted to support portions of the carton to which the end transverse partitions are hingedly connected, an erector member provided with partition engaging fingers, way members with which end portions of the erector member are engaged in its Work stroke, an actuating cam positioned to be engaged by the erector member as it approaches the end of its work stroke, and stops for limiting the down-stroke of the erector member constituting slides on which the ejector member may be manually longitudinally shifted.

12. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a holder adapted to support a partially erected cellular carton, said holder having at one end thereof ledges adapted to support portions of the carton to which the end transverse partitions are hingedly connected, an erector member provided with partition engaging fingers, way members with which end portions of the erector member are engaged in its work stroke, and stops for limiting the downstroke of the ejector member constituting slides on which the ejector member may be manually longitudinally shifted.

13. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a holder adapted to support a partially erected cellular carton, an erector member provided with partition engaging fingers, way members with which end portions of the erector member are engaged, an actuating cam positioned to be engaged by the erector member as it approaches the end of its work stroke in its ways. stops for limiting the down-stroke of the erector member constituting slides on which the erector member may be manually longitudinally shifted, and a cam acting to shift said erector member longitudinally on the return stroke thereof.

14. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a holder adapted to support a partially erected cellular carton, an erector member provided with partition engaging fingers, way members with which end portions of the erector engaged for downward movement, and stops for limiting the down-stroke of the erector member constituting slides on which the erector member may be manually longitudinally shifted.

JAMES E. ANNEN. ALFRED CONKLIN. 

